


Take Me Away

by ThereIsNoTragedyInThat



Series: A Thousand Futures of Me and You [219]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst with a Happy Ending, Boys In Love, Child Neglect, Don't copy to another site, Drabble, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Protective Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:14:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23261539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThereIsNoTragedyInThat/pseuds/ThereIsNoTragedyInThat
Summary: It sounded worse than it was.
Relationships: Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Series: A Thousand Futures of Me and You [219]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1118655
Comments: 6
Kudos: 112





	Take Me Away

Stephen stood on the cracked sidewalk, feet shifting back and forth over the familiar groove that weaved its way through the center. The streetlamp on this particular corner had taken to flickering at least once a minute and Stephen counted it down in his head each time. Pulling the sleeves of his too thin sweater down over his thumbs, he tried not to fidget too much despite the cold that stung his skin.

The backpack on his shoulder was heavy, uselessly filled to bursting with books, notebooks, pens, and two changes of clothes. He thought almost obsessively about whether or not to switch shoulders, to let it dangle from his numbing fingers, to set on the ground at his feet, whether to throw the stupid thing in the bushes and just fucking scream loud enough to wake everyone on the street.

He moved it to his left side. Bit his lip harshly.

Glancing down, he ignored the way his hands were still shaking and the stirring in his gut that was both nauseating and boiling with fury. That wouldn’t help anyone, certainly not him, as he poked uselessly at his phone, searching for a text that wouldn’t be there. Stephen tried to remind himself that it was a good thing, that he was driving and couldn’t be answering his phone because he would be there soon.

As if that thought alone had summoned him, a sleek black car came careening around the corner, headlights flashing and just as quickly pulled to a stop right where Stephen was standing. He didn’t need to think about it or consider the fact that Tony was reckless as all hell when he thought Stephen was upset, no he simply yanked the door open and jumped in without a second thought.

“Seatbelt.”

They were already moving before he managed to grab the strap, bag being thrown down at his feet. By the time he clicked it into place, Stephen couldn’t even see the street corner in the rearview mirror.

The interior of the car was dark, music drifted into the air, turned low but still audible. Stephen let out a slow breath, stared over at where Tony’s eyes were hyper focused on the road, hands gripping the steering wheel with white knuckles. They were going too fast. Stephen wasn’t worried about it. Had seen his boyfriend charm his way out of a dozen speeding tickets and bribe his way through a dozen more.

“Are you alright?” The question was asked through gritted teeth, sincere if fueled by rage.

Stephen winced. The phone call, when he had made it, had been rushed. Swiftly spoken words, begging his boyfriend to pick him up in the usual place. He knew what Tony had heard in the background, the swearing, the yelling, Victor crying, and most unfortunately, shattering glass and dead silence.

It sounded worse than it had been.

His father had been furious. Again. His mother had been drunk. His brother had been upset. These were typical occurrences and when his mother had stood hastily in an attempt to get her husband to calm down, both her glass and the bottle of whiskey had gone tumbling to the floor. That had been the end of it. His father had stared dumbfounded, seemed to finally take in the sight of his youngest crying and Stephen’s defensive stance. Had backed off and got to cleaning without a word.

Stephen couldn’t even remember what they argued about. He knew why of course just not what. Donna had died two years to the day, and everything was cause for an eruption. Thing was, everything had been good, fine most of the time until now. Practically normal.

“Stephen?”

“I’m ok,” he answered automatically. “I’m fine.”

Worried brown eyes glanced over at him, seemed to decide he was telling the truth and relaxed, foot easing up on the gas pedal. The heat was turned up, those knowing eyes having spotted the shiver that ran through Stephen, fingers hidden in his sweater pocket.

They said nothing, the rush of the car filling in the gaps. A hand reached over and gripped his knee, too tight and needy, but lovely, nonetheless. Tony wasn’t looking at him still, eyes on the road he’d driven a thousand times, until finally he murmured, “you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

Tony wanted him to talk about it. Stephen knew he was dying to hear the details to figure out how bad it was. The thing was, there was nothing particularly horrible about it, he hadn’t even run because of the fight. He’d called Tony because that was what he always did these days when he was sad, and Donna’s voice and eyes were all he could think about.

It was sort of why his father had been so angry. The least Stephen could do was endure a night with his parents, let them be reminded that where Donna was gone, Stephen and Victor remained. He’d tried…but in the end he couldn’t bear the dreary atmosphere of their home and the grief thickening their throats.

“We’re almost home,” Tony murmured.

Stephen glanced out the window, found the winding driveway rapidly coming up on their right that would lead to Tony’s house. Shaking his head, he smiled and gripped Tony’s hand, drawing his eyes, “thank you.”

The small smile that came to his lips finally made the rest of the tension disappear. The rest of the night would play out like a movie seen a thousand times. His parents would be gone to some faraway place, Jarvis would be awake and beyond the offer of something to eat, he’d leave them alone with that too knowing look. They would change and curl up in Tony’s bed, pressed too close for comfort but neither wanting to move and they’d either talk or not talk until they finally drifted off to sleep, the whole night like a nightmare turned dream.

“I love you,” the words felt too small for the emotion that welled up inside his chest, for the way tears pricked his eyes and his heart stuttered from the desperate truth of it.

Tony just raised the hand he was holding, head turning away from the road for just a moment to press a delicate, heart-wrenching kiss to it and just like that, Stephen knew this was all he wanted or needed for the rest of his life.


End file.
